Under the high patronage of the President of the Republic of Senegal
Venue : International Conference Center, Dakar Diamniadio
CONTEXT
The development of the African transport system involves the development of specifications for African networks, technical governance of large rail areas and the mobilization of funding. Rail will obviously be the backbone of this mobility chain, and is an important asset for African integration and the development of trade as expressed in the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).
It is in this context that the International Union of Railways (UIC) and the National Senegalese Railways Company (CFS) are organizing an International Forum for the Financing of rail projects in Africa in the context of the railway renaissance and sustainable development.
OBJECTIVES
This Forum is organized in order to: (i) encourage ownership of rail development in Africa; (ii) bring together and mobilize rail sector stakeholders, political decision-makers, rail company and industry representa-tives, technical bodies, rail experts, economists, key players in financing; (iii) identify major national and international investment projects; (iv ) identify financing mechanisms; (v) strengthen public-private partnerships and (vi) develop cooperation between states through strategic support for regional and subregional projects.
DAKAR DECLARATION - October 2023
DAKAR MINUTES - November 2023
MEDIA COVERAGE
AZ ACTU - 19 OCTOBRE 2023
Forum international de Dakar : Amadou Ba relève le défi du financement des infrastructures ferroviaires en Afrique
MAGHRESS - 19 OCTOBRE 2023
Le Maroc à Dakar pour réinventer les voies ferrées en Afrique
MAGHRESS - 20 OCTOBRE 2023
Mondial 2030 constitue un défi pour continuer l’expérience du TGV
LE SOLEIL - 20 OCTOBRE 2023
Renaissance des Chemins de Fer : L’Afrique veut rattraper le bon wagon
PANORAPOST - 20 OCTOBRE 2023
Le mondial 2030 constitue un défi pour continuer l’expérience du TGV (Rabie Khlie)
HESPRESS - 20 OCTOBRE 2023
ONCF Director: Morocco’s choice to co-host WC with Spain, Portugal is challenge to build on Al Boraq’s success
MAPNEWS - 20 OCTOBRE 2023
La elección de Marruecos para organizar el Mundial conjuntamente con España y Portugal, un reto para continuar la exitosa experiencia de Al Boraq (Khlie)
INFOMEDIAIRE - 20 OCTOBRE 2023
Mondial 2030: l’extension du TGV jusqu’à Agadir évoquée
SENEPLUS - 20 OCTOBRE 2023
AMADOU BÂ LANCE LE FORUM DE FINANCEMENTS DES PROJETS FERROVIAIRES EN AFRIQUE
LE QUOTIDEN - 20 OCTOBRE 2023
Infrastructures – Faible attractivité autour du chemin de fer : L’Afrique veut se remettre sur les rails
AMAN - 20 OCTOBRE 2023
MAP - Forum international sur le financement des projets ferroviaires en Afrique à Dakar avec la participation du Maroc
SOCIAL NET LINK - 20 OCTOBRE 2023
Forum de Dakar – AGL Rail, Sitarail et Camrail engagés pour le financement des projets ferroviaires en Afrique
20 OCTOBRE 2023
Khlie: Al Boraq logró transformar el sistema ferroviario en África
REWMI.COM - 20 OCTOBRE 2023
DIAMNIADIO : AGL RAIL, SITARAIL ET CAMRAIL PRÉSENTS AU FORUM DE DAKAR SUR LE FINANCEMENT DES PROJETS FERROVIAIRES EN AFRIQUE CE JEUDI 18 OCTOBRE
LE QUOTIDEN - 21 OCTOBRE 2023
Forum – Financement des projets ferroviaires : Mohamed Diop d’Agl veut un Plan Marshall pour le rail africain
AMAN - 21 OCTOBRE 2023
MAP - Grâce à ’Al Boraq’, l’Afrique a pu enregistrer une mutation singulière de son système ferroviaire (M. Khlie)
AMAN - 21 OCTOBRE 2023
MAP - Dakar : Morocco Takes Part in International Forum on Financing Rail Projects in Africa
SOCIAL NET LINK - 21 OCTOBRE 2023
Réseaux ferroviaires- Simplice Essoh, Directeur Central du Développement de SITARAIL invite les états africains à investir dans l’infrastructure
ALL AFRICA.COM - 21 OCTOBRE 2023
Afrique: Renaissance des Chemins de Fer - L’Afrique veut rattraper le bon wagon
ALL AFRICA.COM - 23 OCTOBRE 2023
Afrique: Renaissance du rail en Afrique et au Sénégal - Les raisons d’un regain d’intérêt
UIC eNews - 25 OCTOBRE 2023
The first “International Forum on the Financing of Rail Projects in Africa” held from 19 to 20 October 2023 in Diamniadio-Dakar
UIC PRESS - 26 OCTOBRE 2023
Premier « Forum International sur le Financement des Projets Ferroviaires en Afrique »
RAILWAYS AFRICA - 31 OCTOBER 2023
International Forum On The Financing Of Rail Projects In Africa
PROGRAMME
Buses will pick up participants at 7.30 on 19 and 20 October from several hotels in Dakar (Airport Casino Hotel, Archotel, Hotel Lagon 2, Hotel Terroubi, Ibis Hotel, Novotel Dakar, Pullman Dakar Teranga, Radisson Hotel Dakar)
Wednesday 18 October 2023 : registration and networking cocktail cancelled. See you on 19 october
8am-9am - Registration and Welcome Coffee
9am-9.45am - Official Opening - Under the Chairmanship of the Head of State
- Introductory remarks by Mr. Mansour FAYE, Minister of Infrastructure, Transport and Opening up of Senegal
- Speech by Mohamed Rabie KHLIE, UIC Vice-President and Chairman of UIC-Africa
- Speech by Taoufik BOUFAIED, Chairman, African Union of Railways
- Speech by His Excellency Macky SALL, President of the Republic of Senegal
9.45am-10.15am - Media Briefing, group picture and Coffee Break
10.15am-11.15am - Session 1: Rail renaissance in Senegal and Africa
- Introduction et moderation by Mr. François DAVENNE, General Director of UIC
- From privatization to renaissance
With the participation of experts from Africa
- Major investment projects
- Mr. Malick NDOYE, General Director, CFS: first lessons learnt from financing of projects in Senegal
- Mr. Mohamed Rabie KHLIE, General Director, ONCF: Projects in Morocco : Al Boraq
- A success story: the Dakar TER
- Mr. Diego DIAZ, President, SNCF International
- Mr. Abdou Ndéné SALL, General Director, SEN-TER
- Examples from West Africa
- Mr. Christian MAGNI, General Director, SETRAG
- Mr. Ibrahima N’Dairy DIALLO, General Director, SNCFG
11.15am-12.45pm - Session 2: Development of Railway Corridors and Regional Integration
- Introduction & moderation by Mr. Mayacine CAMARA, Chairman of Board of Directors, CFS :
- Presentation of Agenda 2063 and Roadmap by the AUC
- Dr Raissa-Julie ADA-ALLOGO, Senior Policy Officer Transport, African Union Commission
- Presentation on rail corridors in West Africa:
- Mr. Sidiki Aboubacar TOURÉ, Infrastructure Director, WAEMU
- Mr. Sediko DOUKA, Commissioner Infrastructure, Energy and Digitization Department, ECOWAS
- Summary of the UIC study on the rail component of Agenda 2063
- Mr Mohamed Rabie KHLIE, Chairman of UIC-Africa / / M. François DAVENNE, Director General, UIC
- Presentation on rail corridors in Africa :
- Mr. Nimon ZULU, CEO, CALABASH FREIGHT LIMITED, Zambia
- Mr. Simplice ESSOH, Directeur Central Développement, SITARAIL
- Mr. Ignace N’GANGA, DG, CFCO
- Mr. Félix MAZOWA, Director, SNCC
12.45pm-2.15pm - Lunch
2.15pm-3.15pm - Session 3: Technical part: Technical governance of large railway areas
Introduction and moderation by M. Mamadou DIA, Director of Railway Transport, DTF Senegal :
With the participation of:
- Mr. Josef DOPPELBAUER, Executive Director, European Railway Agency
- Mr. Rahul MITHAL, Chairman and Managing Director, RITES Ltd
- Mr. François DAVENNE, Director General, UIC
- Mr. Taoufik BOUFAIED, Chairman, African Union of Railways
- Mr. Mahiret SOME, General Director, SOPAFER-B
3.15pm-4.15pm - Session 4: How to mobilize finance for rail infrastructure ?
Introduction and moderation by Mr. Christian CHAVANEL, Rail System Director, Coordinator of Africa Region, UIC
Round table with
- Mr. Pierre POZZO DI BORGO, Chief Industry Specialist, International Finance Corporation (IFC)
- Mr. Ibou DIOUF, Transport Practice Manager for West Africa, World Bank Group
- Mr. Mohamed CHERIF, Country Manager-Senegal, African Development Bank (AfDB)
- Mr. Mohamed DIOP, Regional Director Atlantic Africa, AGL
- Mr. José CORDOVILLA, Director of Infrastructure Advisory Services, TYPSA
- Prof. Khumbulani MPOFU, Tshwane University of Technology, South Africa
4.30pm-5.30pm Panels B to B
- African railway companies
- International private sector
- Development banks
- International institutions
8.30am-9am- Welcome Coffee
9am-10am - Session 5: Financing rolling stock and combating climate change: an alternative or a necessity
Introduction and moderation by Ms. Lucie ANDERTON, Head of Sustainability, UIC
- Mr. Adam BRUUN, Head of Regional Office, European Investment Bank, for Senegal, Cabo Verde, Gambia, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau and Mauritania
- Mr. Howard ROSEN, Chairman, Rail Working Group
- Mr. William DACHS, General Director, GAUTRAIN
- Mr. Ronan NICOT, Deputy Director General, SETER
10am-10.15am - Coffee Break
10.15am-12pm - Session 6: The Investors’ Forum
Keynote speakers:
- Mr. Olivier BUYOYA, Regional Director for West Africa, International Finance Corporation (IFC)
- Mr. Ibou DIOUF, Transport Practice Managers for West Africa, World Bank Group, World Bank Group
Round table with: Investors, banks, industries and authorities:
Introduction and moderation by Ms. Lucie ANDERTON, Head of Sustainability, UIC
- African Ministers of transport
- Mr. Karim MHIRSI, Business Development Director for Africa, ALSTOM
- Mr. Franck MONPATE, General Director, EIFFAGE Senegal
- Mr. Sunil RAMAKRISHNAN, Global Council for Investment and Business for Africa, Vice Chair of the Advisory Board
- Mr. George KAULBECK, Partner and Global Director, Transport, CPCS Consulting
- Mr. Alla Sene GUEYE, Président Commission Economique et Financière, CNES
12pm-12.20pm - Closing Session
- Reading of the Dakar Declaration by Mr. Pape Amadou NDIAYE, Minister in charge of the development of railways
- Closing speech of Mr. Amadou BA, Prime Minister of the Republic of Senegal
12.20pm-2.30pm - Lunch
2.30pm-5pm Panels B to B
2.30pm-4.30pm Meeting of the African Union of Railways (AUR). Reserved for the AUR Members
- Venue: Plenary Meeting Room
8pm-10pm - Official Diner at Alkimia, Route des Almadies, Dakar
9am-13pm
- Technical visits (Dakar train station, TER Operations Center (COF), CFS workshops)
- Dakar Cultural Tour (Museum and Black Civilization, African Renaissance Monument, Remembrance Square, Gorée Slave House, etc.)
EXPECTED RESULTS
The main results expected from this Forum are:
- Better integration of rail projects and Agenda 2063 “The Africa We Want” into na-tional development strategies
- Better consideration of specifications for African networks
- Technical support for African rail development
- Training efforts
- Fund-raising support for investment projects
- Roundtables on rail investment opportunities in Africa
- B to B meetings
- Partnership agreements signed
- Contacts with potential national and international partners.
PARTNERSHIPS
Sponsorships with investors.
PARTICIPANTS
500 participants
Language
English & French
SPONSORS
Superior Gold 
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Gold
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Silver
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PRACTICAL INFORMATION
Venue
The Forum will be held at the Centre International de Conférence Abdou DIOUF de Dakar in Diamniadio (CICAD). This new town is located 36 km from Dakar. Shuttle buses will take participants from their hotels to the TER station and then to the Conference Center.
For participants staying in Dakar, a TER train will be available on Forum days at Dakar Railway Station. Further information will be available soon.
Visa formalities/procedures
West African and European Union States are exempt from visas and fees. Passports must be valid for at least six months after the date of travel.
Other visitors require an entry visa. It is preferable to start visa procedures with Senegalese embassies and high commissions as early as possible, as some airlines may require this before allowing you to board. You can also obtain a visa on arrival at Blaise DIAGNE International Airport. The standard fee for ordinary visas is US$50.
Delegates from African railways will receive a letter for the airlines allowing them to board without a visa. However, those transiting through other countries are advised to check the regulations in force in these transit countries before departure, to avoid any inconvenience during transit.
Arrival at the airport
A welcome committee will be set up at Blaise DIAGNE airport.
Travel arrangements
The currency used in Senegal is the CFA Franc. The exchange rate, as of September 2023, is 1 euro = 656 CFA F and 1 US dollar = 611 CFA F. A currency exchange service is available at the airport and in hotels.
Numerous ATMs are available in the city’s hotels, shopping malls and boutiques, and accept almost all internationally recognized credit and debit cards affiliated with SCT, Visa and Master Card.
The time zone in Dakar is 00 GMT.
The average temperature in Dakar in October is 28°C. This coincides with the end of the rainy season, and humidity is relatively high. Temperatures can peak at around 33°C. Light cotton clothing is therefore recommended.
Hotels
Please find a non-exhaustive list of hotels in Dakar and more practical information in the document below:
https://uic.org/events/IMG/pdf/information_note_forum_in_dakar_002_-_en.pdf
REGISTRATION
CONTACT
Maria Lafont, lafont at uic.org
Christine Hassoun hassoun at uic.org